Alabama rolls past lowly LSU, wins second in a row

Mikhail Torrance had 11 assists to go along with 10 points tonight (AP photo).TUSCALOOSA -- A year ago, LSU coach Trent Johnson was being toasted for winning the SEC West and reaching the NCAA tournament in his debut season.

Tonight, Johnson had already shed his necktie as he leaned his back against a wall under Coleman Coliseum, uttering the same lines about a young team lacking "poise" and "mental and physical toughness."

He then settled on a proverbial white flag.

"You can analyze it. You can summarize it any way you want," Johnson said. "Alabama is better than we are. I mean, they're better than us, plain and simple."

Alabama won its second consecutive game tonight, but it was LSU that made history during an unsightly 57-38 defeat.

The Tigers scored the least points for any SEC opponent in the history of Coleman Coliseum. It was the lowest total for any Alabama opponent since Baptist College scored 32 on Dec. 18, 1989, and it was the lowest in this series since a 37-32 Crimson Tide victory on March 1, 1948.

And counting Alabama's 66-49 victory on Baton Rouge earlier this month, LSU lost season series by a total of 123-82.

"We came out with great intensity and great energy on the defensive end," Alabama coach Anthony Grant said. "At one point in the second half, I think they had zero assists to eight turnovers. ... It was great to see the effort and the energy our guys gave. I'm happy with the win."

Alabama now heads to Auburn on Saturday having won two home games in a row with defensive efforts that overcome its own offensive struggles.

The slumping Tigers (9-11, 0-6 SEC) hung for a half with the Crimson Tide (13-7, 3-3), who finally heated up from 3-point range and took charge with a 16-0 run.

Johnson's team then lost the final 20 minutes by the score of 34-13. Had LSU reserve Chris Beattie not sank a 3-pointer in the dying moments, LSU would have finished the entire half with more turnovers (12) than points.

But it wasn't all LSU. During the first half, play wasn't pretty on either end. Alabama had turnovers on five of its first seven possessions, was 5-of-11 from the free throw line and trailed 25-23 at intermission.

Grant said the early blunders happened when his squad was "in a hurry."

"All the turnovers we had, I think, were because of us," guard Mikhail Torrance said. "It wasn't anything they were doing."

The Crimson Tide didn't really get going until reserve guard Charvez Davis sank consecutive 3-pointers to regain the lead at 32-29. LSU's players then wilted against Alabama's pressure. Quick give-aways allowed 3-pointers in succession by Senario Hillman, Davis and Torrance. The run finally ignited a sleepy crowd and stretched the lead to a seemingly insurmountable 41-29.

"That's really what we want to try to create," Grant said. "At that moment, the pace of the game and everything shifted to what we want."

During Alabama's run, LSU had two missed shots, one blocked shot and eight turnovers, including six in a row against the Crimson Tide's full-court press.

"When they got their run," Johnson said, "it was specifically off of a couple of bad plays on our part. ... You can attribute it to a lot of things, but I tend to dwell on the basics: Our lack of poise and mental toughness to be able to concentrate. It's been happening, whether it's (at) home or on the road."

Davis wound up sinking five 3-pointers - tying for the most any Alabama player has hit in a game this season - to tally a game-high 15 points.

Torrance (11 assists) and freshman Tony Mitchell (10 rebounds) each added 10 points to post a double-double for the Crimson Tide, which sank half its 26 shots in the second half and finished 9-of-17 (52.9 percent) from 3-point range.

Meanwhile, no LSU player scored in double-figures or hit at least half his shot attempts.

"We haven't arrived," Grant said. "As a basketball team, we're beginning to understand who we are and what allows us to be successful. ... (But) guys stayed with it, and I think that's growth for our team."